Conduit indexing and coupling device



Jan. 8, 1952 T, J, GLAZA 2,581,853

CONDUIT INDEXING AND COUPLING DEVICE Filed MaICh 24, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEETl Ma M M www En@ n@ 51@ E@ 5% QCM T. J. GLAZA CONDUIT INDEXING ANDCOUPLING DEVICE Jan. 8, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed March l24, 1950Patented Jan. 8, 1952 n n Liag'o; "mi, sesame te' f lll., aeorportionfof'flllli-"I r iiihsinventon pertains eene'rjaiiy te feoridryi tionsi" In the event cierres changes in the points' equipment whreienduit,ndeginggandfquf" b of destination' fof'the goosgtiiesedeiiverypipe Dl l deiceiof rrgexifiertis,einployediortlle linesmaybeeasily adjusted. eompensate f distribti"Hffgulaitaiidiiquiimaterals;sucb. such changeswithot"'nterferingfWith-the d Scerit; e'oa trig Spun and water',liveryto anyiotherpoints. Thereforeitlfieffrestilh milk: syrup, andbeverages', More `specifi ally, entjsystem/is'very'sexible'in@itsellowamzeer 1 9 remaining 'lines of tbe syster'i aV niet? adversely' leffected: ple) izneonnectionwitlr Still another object is to provide ai60m wzxai. n' fejteans erung there? f tively simple-andnexibie-system=fef eonveginel! q idg. ,t Y,

Veyor 1 means"and.avoiding alcomplicateetwalvesystemand duplieation'of'pipe lines; eachceliileryjj f 1ine' beng independently'operab1e-nIthesyeftiem which this applicant is the iiifefito In th-e'.present.struCtre; there are-*no 'met iiitatiobjectioi this ini partsexceptthendexing mechanism which ne; l. ructu iwhichgwil-l' selaeas .ane cl "'edr 20 nctbev located n ear'workersfother than"tlfief-oriej:v

is a partial section elevationl View of la 1ik5- V- t Similar'reference'{numerals-reel#.to Asimilar Another object of the invention istoproyile parts throughout-the severa1views';\ ff,.e fortlitransprta'tion of goodsesuchA as sarl V Intliefview's'l'own in Fig;lgthe indexing mech witl'a ovelappaatu'swhereby man1oo i tf-, e ri so on A anisr'ril comprisesa preferably horizontaistraight' Servedbcauseactuallyf'n most instances, vonly length' jofipipei rwlnierris'lcesped-atene emilia on'n'ia'n 'is needed to [effect-fthe,operationet th'to aglgibigblowey Supply une g3? While thgthnvenientlyfandfqucklydistributeliha end" is:free:'or.disoor1nected,^asimdioatedw' l BYUSE'ICJOHST ,Since the @Ombnefl pipe?!I` is'predeterminedly pivotably movable-alici-7. system; when.onnectediiscompletely;closefigl1jis supported upon suitablestructuregforselec-- inoi'a'tiri theiobjeetion 'o f;=spillegi.googsfA Y1 h g tively n 'deX f "the fpipe "IL forl uid-tig-h-teonm attendantlosses is lessened, requiring lorilyafevszlY nect'i L'With" af-pluralityof' stationary-take-off if any, men for clean-up. Also, the us1 1 a 1d1ist 45 pip'es' f4, in'a mannerlhereinafter-describediniaridffother,iwastezlofmuch goods, no rnoallyv` assoj-f greater detailin connection-withiFig. A2. NP10-us;iti:A ciatedswith meitranplt@ 3.11?gU-Qdf will be apparent that by making-"a conneetionflA amihimurn- `7with one `othetake-01Tpipes M;-=a-continueus Another :object is t0 avoid,transportation Zoon# dispatch system willA beV selectively4Ieffecteci,there.--.l gestionzlirrthe.movement non gooclsiri' the.' so,by proyidinga'pheUna'CCOnVGYOr`fr0m-the-Sup1 plantsfoundrmor. oth p13'r"somoe*tothetakeoff pipe'termination (notH thestructureofgths.inyentic LShown). e ative1y.. 'sma1ly indexingl fmeenan e Ir ig`""`nera1, itshouldbe understood-that the 'ngof t rotation' y'of fthe apparatus centersabout a` ro Id tne Suck; materials, employing pipe lines as thecones vframework of which preferably surrounds the coupled section I2 of thestraight length of pipe II and the supply pipe I3, as more clearly shownin Fig. 1. The degree of rotation may be the maximum, as that of acomplete circle, if the number and location of the take-off pipes I4require such provision. A thrust bearing I1 and a radial bearing I8support the lower and upper ends, respectively, of the vertical supportto provide the means for rotating the support I6 about its verticalcenter line. Preferably, a beam B, supported on the floor A, ispositioned below the lower bearing I1 to support the vertical frame I6.A bevel gear I9, keyed to a shaft 20, which is connected to the verticalsupport I6 below the upper bearing I8, transmits the rotating force tothe vertical support I6. Rotation of the conduit connecting apparatusmay be accomplished through a series of bevel gears and shafts 2|operated by a handwheel 22 which may be located on the level of an upperfioor, as indicated in Fig. 1.

4 Both the bearings I1 and I8 and the bevel gear series 2| obviously maybe replaced by a journal Y bearing and a sprocket and chain,respectively, or

any other suitable means for carrying out the normal actuating functionsof these devices. It should also be clear that these mechanical meansfor rotating the apparatus may be replaced by the operator manuallypivoting the pipe II, if so desired.

The free or disconnected end of the pivotal pipe II is shown assupported by a carriage 23 whichA extends from the base of the verticalsupport I6 and is rotatably connected relative to the latter member. Theouter end of the carriage 23 holds two shafts 24 and 26 on which thewheels 21 and 28 are mounted, as shown in Fig. 2. Below the carriage 23is a base frame structure 29 which vincludes a curved rail 3l providinga track for the carriage wheels 21 and 28. It should, of course, beunderstood that both the wheels 21 and '28 and the rail 3l could easilybe replaced by a sliding member, which would move over any suitablesurface without departing from this invention. The carriage 23 isprovided with an upward extending end supporting member 32 having abushing 33 for receiving the pivotal pipe II, to secure the same andallowing it to be axially slidable therein.

An actuating mechanism 34, for providing axial movement of the pipe II,is mounted on the carriage 23 with a substantially vertical lever 36pinned at the lower end 31 to the carriage 23. The upper end 38 of thelever 36 extending above the pivotal pipe I I is securely pinned to apiston rod clevis 39 which is preferably reciprocated by a conventionaltwo-way air cylinder 4 I. A center point 42 of the lever 36 is slidablypinned to the pivotal pipe II in a manner to permit the pipe II to beaxially movable upon actuation of the upper end 38 of the lever 36.,Obviously the actuating mechanism 34 may, if desired, consist of a handoperated lever (not shown), thereby eliminating the need for the aircylinder 4I as the source of power. p

As a substantial and signiflcant part of this invention, a plurality ofstationary delivery or take-off lines I4 are radially located around thearc of travel described by the-pivotal pipe II, as shown in Fig. 2.These delivery pipes I4 are arranged to register separately with thepivotal pipe II which is moved axially by the operation of the actuatingmechanism 34, to couple with a selected one of the delivery pipes I4,preferably these pipes may be any suitable type of joint, such as theend portions shown in Fig. 1, which are of frusto-conical shape, withthe pivotal pipe end 43 entering the take-off pipe end 44, to form atight t therebetween, as shown in the dotted lines. The frusto-conicalor tapered surfaces of the ends 43 and 44 provide for readily joiningthe said pipes, and a collar 46 on the rotatable pipe `II acts as acoupling stop. Of course, the detailed manner in which the latter jointsare made may vary substantially, depending upon the type of materialbeing handled and the pressures involved.

Indicator means, such as the electrically operated micro-switches 41,are preferably employed between the pivotal pipe i I and the take-offpipes I4. These devices will transmit a signal to an operator, who maybe stationed at a location remote to the said pipes, advising him thatthe pivotal pipe II is at such time aligned with a particular take-offpipe of the pipes I4.

The micro-switches 41 may consist of an adjustable brush contact arm 48mounted on the free end of the pivotal pipe Il. Contact points 43,located with each of the take-off pipes I4, will close the electricalcircuit with the contact arm 48, in the manner as shown by the circuit.

wiring diagram of Fig. 3. Connected within this circuit, a signalpanel5I, having a plurality of lamps 52 corresponding to the take-off pipesI4 (see Fig. 4), may be located near the position of the operator. Thus,each of the lamps 52 on the panel 5I will indicate to the operator thatthe pivotal pipe II is aligned with a particular pipe of the take-offpipes I4. The pipe actuator 34 is then operated to connect the saidpipes to form the above described joint.

When the above described pipe connection has been made, the blowersupply is turned on by a conventional means, thereby to convey material,such as sand, respectively through the supply line I3, the pivotablepipe II, and one of the delivery pipes I4, to the point of desireddestination. Operation of the actuating mechanism 34 will withdraw thepivotal pipe I I from one of the delivery pipes I4, leaving the pivotalpipe II free to be selectively rotated or indexed to any other one ofthe delivery pipes I4, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2. l 4

A supporting brace member 53 may be connected between an upper'frame 54of the vertical support I 6 and a frame 56 of the delivery pipes I4 toinsure greater stability and alignment of the mechanism.

It will be apparent that a relatively simple and emcient means has beenprovided to quickly and conveniently dispatch and convey sand or thelike through a system of conduits; and it will also be understood thatthe invention is not limited to the precise embodiments as hereinbeforedescribed, but it is susceptible to changes without departing from thespirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vconduit indexing mechanism for a combined blower conveyor for sandor the like comprising in combination a rigid connecting pipe having oneend attached to said blower and the other end free to be moved, pivotal.support means at the blower end of the said connecting pipe, a

means for pivotally positioning the said connecting pipe to alignselectively with one of the said delivery pipes, and means for axiallymoving the said connecting pipe to mate with and separate from theselected one of the said delivery pipes, the said latter meanscomprising a carriage having a vertical lever pivotally movable at alower end thereof relative to the said carriage, a piston rod cleviscooperating with the said carriage, a iluid cylinder for actuating thesaid clevis, the upper end of said lever being connected to the saidclevis, a central portion of the said lever being slidably pinned to thesaid connecting pipe to allow said latter pipe to be axially moved uponactuation of the upper end portion of the said lever.

2. A combined blower conveyor and indexing mechanism comprising incombination a connecting pipe having a tapered end portion free torotate, a vertical support receiving the said connecting pipe and havingrotating means therewith, a plurality of delivery pipes rigidly mountedsubstantially in the arcuate path of rotation of the said connectingpipe, each` of said delivery pipes having connecting means with a matingend tapered portion adjoining the path of rotation of the connectingpipe, means attached to said connecting pipe for axially moving the saidlatter member to join with and separate from a, de-

sired pipe of the said delivery pipes upon predetermined actuation ofthe means attached to the said connecting pipe, supporting meanstherefor, a vertical lever pivotally movable from a central positionthereof relative to the said connecting pipe, the said lever havingpivotal connections at upper and lower end limits thereof, an actuatingfluid cylinder for the said lever, the upper end limit of the said leverbeing connected to the said cylinder, the lower end limit beingpivotally connected to the said supporting means, the latter supportingmeans including a carriage with rollers and a base frame structure witha curved rail for the arcuate movement of the said carriage rollers.

THADDEUS J. GLAZA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 721,743 Richmond Mar.\3, 1903907,848 Morehouse Dec. 29, 1908 1,741,041 Taylor Dec. 24, 1929 1,831,196Read Nov. 10, 1931 1,857,643 Kinyon May 10, 1932 2,434,435 Reibel Jan.13, 1948

